Photographer's Note

This is a fine restaurant where I had the rabbit...Delicious!!
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Malta's history and geography had an important influence on its cuisine. Having had to import most of its foodstuffs, positioned along important trade routes and having to cater for the resident foreign powers who ruled the islands, opened Maltese cuisine to outside influences from very early on. Foreign dishes and tastes were absorbed, transformed and adapted. Italian (specifically Sicilian), Middle Eastern and Arabic foods exerted a strong influence, but the presence in Malta of the Knights of St John and, more recently, the British brought elements from further afield.

The Knights hailed from many European countries; particularly, France, Italy and Spain. They brought influences from these countries. Aljotta, for example, a fish broth with plenty of garlic, herbs, and tomatoes, is the Maltese adaptation of bouillabaisse. The Knights' contacts and wealth brought also food from the New World; it has been suggested that Malta may have been one of the first countries in Europe (after Spain) where chocolate was first tasted.

The British military presence meant a market of a garrison and their families and, later, mass tourism from the UK. British food products, condiments and sauces like English mustard, Bovril, HP Sauce and Worcestershire sauce are still a subtle but pervasive presence in Maltese cooking.

Other imports were only nominal. While the Maltese word "aljoli" is likely to be a loan word, the Maltese version of the sauce does not include any egg as in aioli; instead it is based on herbs, olives, anchovies and olive oil. Similarly, while the Maltese word "taġen" is related to "tajine" in Maltese the word refers exclusively to a metal pan.

Hi Daniel. A very thorough note about Maltese cuisine.Plus, an inviting image of this restaurant. Rabbit cooked in wine and bayleaf? My mother used to cook rabbit as game with gnocci. Anyway, nice photo with excellent exposure and detail definition in the shade. Best wishes. Klaudio.

Hello Daniel,
You are certainly right about Maltese cuisine and the prices are reasonable compared to France and certainly compared to the UK. I do not remember this restaurant but we had many enjoyable meals in Malta. The light was not easy, but you have managed it quite well with just some slight over exposure on the back wall and the menu. A pleasant capture of this cosy corner.

Hello Daniel,
I wouldn't have chosen the rabbit:) but I trust your good opinion about this restaurant, the photo through which you are presenting it is very lovely. A very interesting composition that managed to give us a good glimpse of the restaurant and its atmosphere. The effect of the perspectives and the arrangement of details are very elegant, the shade is clear and pleasant and creates some fine, graphical contrasts with the sunlit parts. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a lovely day,
Ourania

Hi Daniel.
A magnified image of this charming restaurant .... well shaded fail to place the line of tables, the bike is a good claim to announce the menu.
Well done.
Have a good afternoon.
Greetings.
Luis.

Hello Daniel,
Looks like a great place for rabbit or anything, and maybe a bottle of wine. The tables look well protected from the strong sun. The black menu-boards are fine details, and so is the basket with plants on the bicycle. A strange place for plants but it looks nice.
Kind regards,
Gert

Hello my dear friend
here we have a clever idea of a bicycle
presenting the menu
simple but nice scenery full of light
which is not easy but you captured
it very well
regards
have a nice weekend
Costantino

Hi Daniel,
Malta must be one of my next travel destinations!:)
Love your charming and well managed series from these amazing places there. This one is superb and smartly cropped to achieve a lovely visual result. Bravo!